The invention relates to a silicon substrate having a recess for receiving an element as well as to a method of producing a recess in a silicon substrate for receiving an element, comprising masking areas on the substrate on either side of the intended recess, and thereafter etching out the recess.
It is generally known within the opto-electronic field to exactly align optical fibres with a high grade of accuracy by receiving the fibres in etched out grooves, so called V-grooves, ves in silicon substrates.
However, when mounting the optical fibres in such grooves, it can be difficult to make the optical fibres stay in place in the respective groove during all of the mounting operation.
When gluing the optical fibres to the grooves, it has, moreover, over been observed that the optical fibres will rise somewhat what in the grooves due to the thickness of the glue layer, and, consequently, the position of the respective optical fibre in the vertical direction as well as the lateral direction on the substrate will be indefinite.
The general object of the invention is to bring about a simple holding element for elements which are received in recesses in silicon substrates.
This is attained in the substrate according to the invention in that at least one holding element integral with the substrate, strate, extends at least partially over the recess to hold an element received in the recess in place.
The method according to the invention of producing a recess in a silicon substrate is mainly characterized by masking also at least one area on the substrate, which, at least partly, extends across the intended recess to etch out a holding element corresponding to that area for holding an element received in the recess in place.